Egg handling device



April 28, 1953 E. w. FAHEY 2,636,624

EGG HANDLING DEVICE Filed Deo. 5, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 28, i953 EGG HANDLING DEVICE Edward W. Fahey, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Shellmar Products Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application December, 1947, Serial No. 789,440 3 Claims. (Cl. 214-300) This invention is concerned with improvements in egg handling equipment.

In the handling of eggs bulk shipments are customarily made in standard containers or cases generally of :3U-dozen capacity, in which the eggs are packed in cell-like partition members or fillers and the fillers are arranged in tiers in the case being separated by separator members or flats. When eggs are received in such cases by the packer they are unpacked by removing each ller and its supporting fiat as a unit and then separating the eggs from the filler and the flat for candling and packing or other processing. Since the eggs have a tendency to stick in the filler, particularly if they are large size, when they are being separated, the process of removing them from the fillers and separating the flats and llers by hand ordinarily involves considerable labor and much handling, frequently resulting in relatively high percentage of breakage.

The general object of the invention is to provide a device for facilitating the separation by hand of the eggs from the dat and filler members, after the removal of the same from the case, which reduces the amount of labor involved in this operation.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a tray-like device having separator elements arranged thereon whereby an egg filler and flat assembly may be moved by hand into the operative zone of the separator elements in such a manner that the flat is separated from both the ller and the eggs and the separation of the eggs from the filler is greatly facilitated.

It is a still more specific object of the invention to provide a tray-like device having a plurality of transversely spaced rod-like separator elements arranged over an aperture in one end of the tray with the free ends of the rods spaced slightly above the bottom of the tray whereby an egg filler and at assembly having a plurality of eggs therein may be moved longitudinally of the tray so that the rod-like separator elements will divert the dat through the aperture in the tray and the filler with the eggs therein will be moved into position over the rod-like elements whereby the filler may be lifted by hand to remove the eggs therefrom and leave them resting on the rod-like separator elements for ready removal to an adjacent packing table, or the like, by the hands of the operator.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a description of the preferred form thereof which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a separator device embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the eggs shown separated from the filler and the flat; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the preferred form of the device comprises a. generally rectangular tray I0 which may be supported in any conventional manner by legs II or other frame structure. The tray I0 includes a forward portion I2 which is flat and arranged in approximately level position and an upwardly sloping or inclined portion I3. The inclined portion I3 is provided with an aperture I4 of sufficient size to permit the passage of an egg flat member I5 of standard size. The flat I5, which is illustrated as the molded pulp type having shallow cup-like formations or pockets for receiving the ends of the eggs, constitutes the supporting member of an. assembly (indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2) which also includes the filler IB and a plurality of eggs I'I, the eggs being arranged in the cellular spaces provided by the filler with their ends supported in the cup-like formations in the flat member.

Arranged in transversely spaced generally parallel relation over the aperture I4 in the tray portion I3 are a plurality of separator rods I8 having pointed ends I9 which extend slightly forwardly of the front edge 2U of the aperture I4. The ends I9 of the rods IB are positioned in spaced relation to the bottom of the fiat forward portion I2 of the tray and a sufficient distance above the same to separate the hat member from the eggs and filler members and permit the passage of the flat member. The rods I8 are preferably rubber covered or provided with a resilient surface of similar material to minimize breakage.

Beneath the forward end I9 of each rod I8 there is provided a curved or deecting member 2| which is adapted to engage the leading edge of the egg fiat member I5 as it is moved between the rods I8 and the tray bottom to insure the downward movement of the flat member I5. The rods I8 are preferably anchored to the tray with their top surfaces merged into the top surface of the tray adjacent the end of portion I3.

Downwardly directed plate-like members 22 extend forwardly of and ll the space between the rod-like members I8 terminating short of the bowed egg flat deflecting members 2 I. The members 22 which act as a ramp for assisting in the movement of the eggs from the end of the tray to an adjacent handling table 23 or the like, are

ypreferably covered with fas rubber or the like. Side guide plates 24 and 25, provided with outwardly turned ends 26 and a resilient material such 2", respectively, are arranged along the front and rear sides of the tray I0 to guide the assembly as it is moved into the operative zone of the separator rods I8.

In operation, (an egg assembly consisting of :a ilat I5, filler d'6 and eggs "I'I is placedon the top of the forward portion l2 of the tray and moved, by hand, over the separator rods i8 which sepa-- rate the eggs from the cup-shaped formations and deiiect the flat i5 downwardly through vthe aperture i4 and onto a receiving .tabledii, :or the like. The operator gently sha-Ires the ller ll'lto insure release of the eggs H and at the same time lifts the iiller I6 vertically aW-aytrom `the separator rods I8 leaving the eggs 'Vl resting loosely on the spaced rods I8, from which they maybe readily removed by a raking action of the operators hand .tothe adjacent supporting .member Vo1 table 23., assisted vby .the vupwfardl?! slop-ing plate member-S22.' .'llhellermember igmain .of course, .be removed .as desired.

While specific details or" construction and materials .have been `rei-erred to lin .describing .the preferred form-of .the invention Ait will vbe zLrnderstoodthat otherdetails of constructonand other materials may -be lresorted -to .within the yspirit the invention.

I claim:

l. A Vdevice for luse-in separating yeggs .from van egg 4flat vandan-ller assembly: comprising a tray like member having a ilportien provided with van :apenture inthe `bottom thereof of suicient Width to passfedgewise theeggiiiat membeixand a .plurality Girod-.like separatonmembers arranged in transverse spaced .relationoyer-theraperture, said senarator members ihaving Itheir free .ends spaced :.a sufficient .distance :above `the .bottom .0'1" :the traylilre memberto enter .between therese .-atzmember and the -yegg iller member `.when ,an assembly A'is moved-.along the bottom fof theztray-.likemember andagainst the free .endsof the.separator members to thereby .separate theatand .iiller mem-.- bers, said separator members being xed at ltheir opposite .ends in merging .relation y'to `the :bottom plane yof the tray-,like ymember :and .umvardly slopingr .plate ymembers provided rbetween the separator members adjacent `the :fixed ends thereof which provide a ramp structure for fa-r cilitating the removal by hand of the loose eggs from the separator members after they have been released from the filler member and deposited thereon.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein the separator members and the ramp-like plate members .are ,-providedwith resilient surfaces to minimize v'breakage 'of the eggs by Contact therewith.

3. A device for use in separating eggs from an v'egg nat and filler assembly comprising a traylilie member having a portion provided with an aperture 'inthe bottom thereof of sunicient width .to Vpass l,odset/lise the .egg dat member and a plurality .oiled-.like separator members arranged in transverse spaced yrelation over the aperture, said separator .membershaving their free ends spaced a sufcient'di'stanee above the bottom of the traylikeemember to enter between the egg flat member and the egg filler member when an assembly is moved along .the-bottom .of .the tray-like member and against the free endsof the separator imembers thereby Yto separate ,the dat and filler members, ,plate members having a downwardly sloping surface .adjacent the free :ends of said separator members :to `engage the leading edge of tbe flat member and direct the .same vdownwardly away from said .separator members, said separator members being fixed Iat their opposite ends in merging relationto the 4bottom rplane of the .traylike member and ramp ,forming members Varranged between the separator ,members adjacent theiiXed-ends .thereof and having upwardly slopin g surfaces lextending :from adjacent the lowermost ,portion y of said plate vmembers for lfacilitating the ,removal lby hand of the loose leggs from the separator members Yafter theyhave been re leased .from .the .lil/ler :and ,fiat Vmembers and deposited on the `separator members.

EDWARD W.

References Cited Yin the file of `this vpatent lUNITED STATES .PATENES Number Name Date 612,375 Bennett Oct.. 11, i898 1,279,563 Lowell Sept.24, 191.8 1,866,809A Kassel' July 12,1932 2,074,383 Funk Mar. 23,1937 2,"lf51,44()` Page Sept. d, '1949 

